Improvement in organ-cases



L. K. FU LLER Urgan-Cases.

PatentedApril 2l, 874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI K. FULLER, OF BItATTLEBOROUGH, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR IO J. ESTEY diCO., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ORGAN-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,01 S, dated `April2l. 1874; application filed January 28, 1874.

CASE 2.

To all. whom it may concern:

13e it known that I, Lnvr K. FULLER, of Brattleborough in thc county ofWindham and State of Vermont, have invented new and usefui Improvementsin Reed-Organs, of which the following is a specification:

This invention rela-tes to portable 'or folding organs, or those havingeases so constructed that they may be folded into a compact and portableform when desired, and it consists in the combination, with the foldingcase, of a suction or exhaust bellows, arranged and constructed ashereafter described, in the arrangement of the pedals with relation tothe case, and in the mode of connection with the straps from thebellows; also, in a folding knee-swell and music-stand, and in metallicclamps and handles applied to the ends of the lower portion of the ease,the whole being constructed and arranged as hereinafter set forth.

Figure l ofthe accompanying drawings is a front elevation of a foldingorgan provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thesame, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same when folded.

As shown in the drawings, B is a partially open chest or box, formingthe base of the case. To the back of this chest is hinged the backsection or leaf l), to the top of which is again hinged the uppercompartment or chest A, containing the key-board, reeds, bellows, andother operative parts. At the ends of the chest A are hinged thebrackets (l C, which rest on the ends of the lower section B, as shownin Figs. l and 2, to support the Lipper section when the instrument isunfolded or in an operative position.

To fold the case, the leaves G C are folded against the under side ofthe bellows, and the upper section A is folded down against the backportion or leaf D, and these parts then folded into the lower chest B,when the case appears as shown in Fig. 3.

I will now describe the improvements applicable to organs of this class,and forming the subject of this application. The pedals b b are placedwithin the lower section B, andare hinged to the bottom of the same, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. To their inner ends are secured hooks c c, Fig.2, which engage with a link, d, attached to the straps a a, that connectthe pedals with the bellows c.

This connection allows the straps to be disconnected from the pedalswhen desired, which is necessary in folding the ease, the strap beingthen detached and the pedals pressed down upon the bottom of the chestB, as represented by vthe dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In the lower portion of the upper chest A is arranged the bellows. Thisconsists of a main or receiving bellows, f, hinged directly to the baseof the foundation-board at g, and immediately under the valves p, whichopen into it. To the bottom and at the front of this bellows is hingedtwo smaller exhausting-bellows, e, which are respectively connected withthe pedals b b by means of the straps aa. The normal position of thebellows is as shown in Fig. 2, the receiver f being kept distended by aspring, while the exhausters e e are kept collapsed in the same manner.

Then the pedals are operated t-he exhausters are alternately distended,thus exhausting the air from the receiver j", into which the air passingthrough the reeds is received. The external pressure thus brought uponthe receiverj' tends to collapse it, while the spring, on the contrary,tends to distend it, the result being that a uniform degree ofrarefaction is maintained in the receiver and the wind-chests incommunication with it, and a uniform degree of sound is thus produced.This form of bellows is peculiarly adapted to the folding case, owing toits compactness and simplicity, and it also folds up when the case isfolded.

The knee-swell consists of a lever, z', pivoted to the inside of thefront board of the upper chest A, in a recess, as shown in Fig. 2, andin dotted lines :in Fig. l. This lever is connected, in any of thewell-known methods, with the swells 7o L, Fig. 2, so that in moving thelever to one side the swells k 7o are raised and the swell produced. Thelever z' when in an operative position depends vertically from the frontof the upper chest, as shown by the full lines in Figs. l and 2, but infolding the case the lever is turned into its recess, where it rests ina horizontal position, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. l, inwhich position it does not interfere with the folding of the case, andis removed from liability to injuries resulting from the operation offolding or unfolding.

I also provide the instrument with a folding music-stand, which consistsof two or more bars or rods, l l, pivoted at their lower ends to thekey-board at suitable points, and above, or at or near their oppositeends, to a horizontal bar or bars, m. This stand or rack is placed in anupright position when required for use, as represented by the full linesin Fig. l; but when the case is to be folded the bars Z l are pressedsidewise, when they assume a recumbent and contracted position, asrepresented by the full lines in Fig. 2, and dotted lines in Fig. l, andoffer no impediment to the folding of the case.

rlhe lower chest, as it forms the exterior of the case when folded, isexposed to concussions and injury in its carriage from place to place,and requires additional strength and rigidity. This I effect by casingeach end of this chest with metallic bands a a, which greatly strengthenthe same, and effectually resist any concussions to which it is likelyto be exposed. The ends of the case are also provided with handles o o,Fig. 3, of any suitable hind, by which the instrument, when folded,

may be conveniently carried from place to place.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination with the folding case, bellowsf c, and straps a a., the pedals b I), arranged within the lower sectionI3, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with the pedals b b and straps a a, the hooks c c, asand for the purpose set fort-h.

3. In combination with the folding case A B C D, pedals Z1 l), andstraps a a, the bellows fc, attached directly to the base of thefoundation-board r, and immediately below the valves p p, all arrangedto operate substantially as shown and described.

4. In combination with a folding ease, as described, the metallic bandsa n, on the ends of the lower section Il, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. The linee-swell, 1'-, connected with the organ-case, so that the samemay be folded into a recess within the case, all constructed, combined,and arranged substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEVI Il. FULLE l.

